Boiler flue cleaner



1939. R. F. M GOWAN BOILER FLUE CLEANER Filed Feb. 19, 1937 v 3mm Ficka rdF1HFowm length of pipe I.

Patented Jam 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to boiler flue cleaners and more particularly to the type of cleaner employing compressed air or steam pressure.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a flue cleaner which will operate with the natural draft of the boiler discharging the soot cleaned from the flues up the stack.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaner employing the vacuum principle to draw the soot from the tubes without permitting the fluid employed to come into contact with the flues.

A further object is the construction of a cleaner of this type which will beeasy to use and one which will require a minimum of storage space when not in use.

For a further understanding of the invention, attention is directed to the following description taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein has been illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic sectional view of a boiler showing the cleaner comprising the present invention in use;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the cleaning head;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken through the cleaning head on the plane indicated by the line IIIIII of Fig; 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail transverse vertical sectional View of a jet used in connection with the cleaning head.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the flue cleaner forming the present invention and shown in the drawing comprises an elbowshaped Venturi member I composed of cast aluminum or suitable material. This member is hollow and one end thereof is formed with a tapered edge 2 for insertion into the end of the tube to be cleaned. Due to the taper, the member i may be brought into air-tight connection with various sized tubes.

The opposite end 3 of the member I is open and is directed upwardly to the outlet stack to exhaust the soot drawn from the tube being cleaned therethrough.

A jet 4, formed centrally of the elbow l is directed toward the outlet end 3 and is connected with a hose 5 leading from the source of steam by means of an angular pipe section 6 and a A T connection 8 arranged between the hose 5 and the pipe 1 is attached to a manipulating handle 9 by means of a rod l0.

To increase the velocity of the steam and to distribute the same over the entire cross sectional area of the elbow to create a vacuum, the jet 4 is internally threaded as at H to receive a hollow star-shaped nozzle I2. Each arm I3 of the nozzle member is provided on its upper surface with a plurality of orifices l4 through which the steam may issue. The ends of the arms are closed so that all the steam must pass out through the openings I4.

In the operation of the device, the tapered end of the elbow-shaped member is inserted into the open end of the boiler flue to be cleaned and is held there with the handle by the operator. The steam pressure is then turned on and as it escapes through the nozzle and open end of the elbow, a vacuum is created within the flue. Air rushes into the opposite end of the flue in response to the vacuum and soot is drawn from the flue and exhausted through the open end of the elbow with the steam.

In view of the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides a light, portable flue cleaner which does not permit the cleaning fluid to contact with the inside of the flue. Also the flue cleaner operates with the natural draft and does not put pressure on the flues. The cleaner is easy to operate and requires a minimum of storage space when not in use.

What is claimed is:

1, A fluecleaner comprising a hollow elbowshaped member having open ends, means formed with one end of said member for its air-tight connection with a flue to be cleaned, a jet formed centrally of said elbow and directed toward the other open end of said elbow-shaped member, a nozzle member having a plurality of hollow radially directed arms formed with longitudinally and transversely spaced orifices in the upper surfaces thereof, an inlet tube provided on the under side of said nozzle at the center thereof, said tube being in communication with said radially directed arms and said jet, and conduit means connected with said jet for feeding fluid under pressure to said nozzle.

2. A flue cleaner comprising a hollow elbowshaped member having open ends, means provided at one end of said member for its airtight connection with a flue to be cleaned, a jet integrally formed with said member at the center thereof, said jet being directed toward the other open end of said elbow-shaped member, conduit means connected with said jetfor feeding fluid under pressure to said cleaner, a nozzle member having an inlet tube connected with said jet, a plurality of tubular arms extending radially from said inlet tube in a substantially horizontal plane, each of said arms being provided on the upper side thereof with a plurality of radially spaced rows of orifices, the orifices on the proximal sides of adjacent tubes producing converging streams o1 fluid.

3. In a flue cleaner having a central jet, a nozzle comprising a. vertically extending inlet tube adapted to be positioned in said jet, and a plurality of tubular arms extending radially from said nozzle in a substantially horizontal plane, said arms being closed at the outer ends and having the upper side thereof provided with a plurality of radially and longitudinally spaced orifices.

RICHARD F. McGOWAN. 

